10 School Bus Safety Tips for Parents [Infographic]

Children may get excited while seeing the school bus. Being over excited may cause dangerous things such as turning around, running around and being careless while getting on and off the bus.

Most of the people place their kids and faith in a bus as it is large and slow. This doesn’t mean that the risk of accident will decrease and it is not only the responsibility of the school bus drivers alone to ensure safety.

Parent and children also have an important role in this. So, it is vital for the parents to teach their kids some safety protocols so that kids can experience a safer ride in the school bus.

Considering all these things, we are showcasing few safety tips in the form of infographic which can reduce the chance of getting injured as well as lessen the fear of parent regarding their child’s safety.

10 School Bus Safety Tips for Parents infographic

12 Important Benefits of School Buses

School buses have always been a common and one of the most preferred modes of transportation for school children. Parents all across the globe are using services of school buses to pick and drop their kids for past few decades.

But still, when it comes to deciding whether or not to use services of a school bus for kids, many parents find it difficult to make a decision.

If you are also finding it hard to choose a mode of communication for your kid for their school, then here we are listing a few benefits of school buses to help you make a choice. 

Benefits of School Buses for Parents

1. Always on time

One of the most important benefits of school buses is that they arrive on time. Every morning, you know when the bus will be at the stop to pick your kid. So accordingly, you can manage your timing and ensure that your little one reaches school on time.

On the other hand, when you choose to pick and drop your kid on your own, managing time becomes a little tricky, especially if you have more than one kid and they are in different schools or have different regimes.

Also, on rainy days or when you are sick, or your vehicle is not working, your kids either get late to the school or end up taking a leave.

2. School buses now come with GPS systems

GPS system on a school bus means you can always track the location of your kid. The GPS tracker empowers parents to know their child's location and give them peace of mind.

At the same time, it is a blessing in times of emergency; parents can easily track where the bus is and can reach the location immediately. 

3. Kids make new friends

From a young age, kids get to learn a lot of new things. And when they travel in school buses, they not just make new friends, but they learn sharing, companionship and how to make new friends.

These things will help them for years to come. For school going kids’, school bus is usually the best place where they get to meet new kids and make friends.

4. Kids learn to take care of their things:

When kids use school buses, they learn to take care of their personal belongings, like a school bag, water bottle, and lunch box. This helps them in their overall development and well-being and makes them a responsible and independent individual.

5. Kids learn to manage their time

School buses daily come at the same stop on same time. As a result, kids become very conscious and careful about the timing and learn to complete their things on time.

They get ready on time to make sure that they catch their bus. Also, another motivating factor to catch the bus on time is the friend circle they have on their bus.

6. Parents have complete peace of mind

When using services of school buses, parents can rest assured about the conveyance and safety of their kids. They don’t have to worry about daily commute of their kids and to manage their to-do list according to the timing of the school.

They can easily carry on with their tasks and personal commitments with complete peace of mind that the school bus will pick and drop their kid on time, without a miss no matter what.

Benefits of School Buses from School’s Point of View

7. Classes can start on time

When you have school buses, you can be assured that kids and teachers will be on the school premises on time and classes can start on scheduled time. This makes the daily schedule as smooth as possible.

8. Keep parents updated on their kids’ location with a GPS system

With GPS system you can always keep parents updated about the location of their kids. They can check if the bus is following the given route and is on time. This creates a level of trust and parents become assured about the safety of their little ones.

9. It is an additional facility that you can offer to parents

Parents when choosing a school for their kids look for facilities that the school is offering. And by providing school bus facility, you can increase your list of offerings and attract more and more parents.

Parents also feel relaxed that they don’t have to bother about daily dropping and to pick their kids.

General Benefits

10. Lesser Vehicles on the Road

When transporting a school student to and from school, parents need not take their vehicle out during the peak traffic hours. If a school bus carries 50 students, it means there are far lesser vehicles on the road.

11. Better Environment

When there is less number of vehicles on road, the emissions from vehicles are also reduced. Vehicle emissions include dangerous gases such as carbon monoxide, which has severe negative effect on the environment.

As school buses make it unnecessary for parents to transport students to and from schools, a significantly lower number of cars are there on the road, reducing the overall carbon footprint drastically. Thus, school buses contribute to a better environment.

12. Lower Accident Rate

Many studies over the years have repeatedly stated that school buses have a significantly lower number of accidents on road compared to students travelling by cars.

So, if you have been confused about hiring services of a school bus for your kid, then now with these benefits listed above you know how you and your little one can benefit from the school bus and why you should also hire one for your kid.

What Features Would an Automated School Bus Have

Automation in school bus system is just a sea-change in the school bus parent alert solution that enables the parents to get real-time alerts of their children’s location and current status of transportation during everyday commutation to school.

The solution is great for schools, fleet owners, and parents for tracking and keeping all the updates about the driver’s behavior. It completely checks and helps to keep under control rash movements of vehicle like over-speeding and rash braking.

The solution has the superior potential to make sure that the transportation of the students stays completely stress-free and dependable in the to and fro regular trips to the school.

As the authorities get timely information, pertaining to the movement of the school vehicle, it becomes easier for them to take corrective actions and avoid any type of untoward incident during every day transportation activities.

Let’s know about some of the important features of the automated school bus system.

SMS alerts for parents or Guardians

  1. Parents get complete information about the exact time, when the bus reaches the bus-stop for picking up the children.
  2. Parents or guardians also get prior information about any delay in service in the route.
  3. The guardians or parents get correct information about their children’s arrival and departure from the school.
  4. If any on-road accident or mishap takes place, the parents and authorities get immediate intimation.
  5. The parents could demand real-time location of the bus.

Alerts about break-down in system of the bus

  1. The solution also reports about over-speeding, rough braking and excess speeding of the vehicle.
  2. It also reports about any mishap or happening of the road accident.
  3. The device could even detect any tampering in its installation.

Intelligent reporting about movement of the vehicle

  1. The solution keeps complete tab of the behavior of the driver.
  2. It could even report about real-time location and absolute report about change of route.

Immediate hands-free communication with the school bus driver in case of emergencies

The solution could even get in touch with the driver, when there is urgency. It keeps the activities of the driver under control and asks him to take necessary caution in case of rash driving and harsh braking of the vehicle.

The solution gives details about various alternate routes

As various routes in the metro cities get closed due to arrival of V.I.Ps and on other important occasions, the installed system keeps everyone informed about the alternate routes that has to be followed by the driver.

Usage of eco-friendly components in the installation

The school bus, operated by fuel, has the inherent drawback of emitting carbon-dioxide and causing air pollution. But the installation of automated bus system is absolutely eco-friendly.

The components like RF readers, sensors, telematics system, communication device, adaptors, and mobile applications do not cause any type of air pollution.

Overall, this also results in the optimization of efficiency by tracking engine which results in helping the fleet managers, school management, and the government in pollution control and reaping highest benefits for the environment.

Reduced human intervention

The solution makes sure that during the movement of the school bus, there is least human intervention. With the implementation of this solution, the movement goes through an automated and programmed procedure that keeps the bus absolutely safe and almost error-free during the transportation.

Great help for the driver

The smart functions and automation make sure that the driver of the bus stays out of any undesirable human intervention and he feels comfortable during driving. The solution has helped to improve traffic safety, working conditions of the  school bus staff, and bring reduction in impact of the vehicle on the environment.

It suits greatly the functional purposes of the school bus

As safety is the first priority in the plying of  school bus, the automated system in school bus largely meets other objectives of the transportation like cost- efficiency, increased dependability on the means of public transportation, security, and better return-on-investment.

The solution has the great strength to deal with every type of complication during transportation. As the information system in the solution functions smartly, it entrusts better control in the authorities and driver, whenever there is adverse circumstance due to rough weather.

It is greatly helpful in detecting road conditions

Rain, storm, and other adverse weather conditions create worst road conditions. A bus equipped with automated bus system has the greater ability to detect road conditions.

It guides the driver as per the guidelines set for the driving of the school bus. As an automated school bus has the deployment of automatic tire chains which is helpful in keeping the pick-up routes in tact in case of an emergency situation.

This not only keeps the children safe in the bus during the journey  but also have smarter time management.

Highly cost effective and time efficient

With the introduction of automation in the school bus system, the behavior of the bus driver comes under deep observation. As driver is the most important person in the entire transportation route, the solution literally integrates scientific management in the entire functioning of the transportation system.

Reducing the idle time to the minimum, the authorities in the transportation system get better control over the day-to-day expenses.

As the key areas like scrutiny of the driver log sheets, engine diagnostics, and fuel consumption come under scrutiny, it helps the management to run better control and achieve productivity.

Reduction in waiting period

As tracking of the school bus gets easier, the children could get relief from long waiting period. Parents and students get constantly notified about the arrival and departure of the bus and that considerably reduces the time spent by the students in waiting. Resulting in superior time management, it eliminates unnecessary time spent by the students, waiting for the bus.

Automation endows longevity on the bus

The GPS-enabled school bus system gets the superior software that tracks the movement of the bus completely. This also keeps tab of the engine and body conditions of the bus.

As a result, the authorities take the bus for maintenance after every interval period. This endows better longevity on the bus. Through mileage tracking from fuel consumption, the authorities keep track of the warranty period for free maintenance of the bus.

This also enables the management to go for extended periods of warranty for the maintenance of the school vehicle. This leaves no chance for occurrence of faster wear and tear of the bus as maintenance work takes place regularly.

Highest coordination for safety and responsibilities

As “coordination” is key to successful management, highest coordination for safety and related responsibilities is only possible through successful application of this automation in the bus system.

The solution helps the managers to apply better management procedures that give them highest productivity in the end.

As a management tool, the solution also helps them to implement new plans and get optimum returns in terms of successful tracking, fleet management, and end of waiting for the arrival and departure of the bus.

Surveillance through CCTV

Mischievous nature of the children invariably poses a threat to the management of school, while the bus passes through the transit.  As the automated buses have the installation of surveillance cameras, the school authorities could exercise control over the students, creating mischief inside the bus, while the vehicle passes through the transit.

The camera inside the bus records the activities of the students inside the bus and the authorities of the school could view it regularly at the end of the day.

Some of the automated buses even install IP camera and wireless networking, which telecasts the activities inside the bus directly to the school as the bus passes through the transit.

Systematic recording of attendance of the students

The students often indulge in boarding the bus at the wrong stop and even alighting at the wrong stops with an intention to roam after the everyday school hours.

The automated bus system systematically records the attendance of the students with the regular recording of boarding and alighting of the students at their points.

Many of the buses have even installed RFID card reader that makes minute observation of students’ attendance inside the bus. In such a case, every student carries a RFID card that the students would use at the entry and exit points of the bus for the regular recording of boarding and alighting from the bus.

Automation keeps full data-base of the students

As the perceived threat to the transportation in the school bus has increased manifold in the past with the heightening in terrorism, anti-social activities, and accidental fatalities.

The automation in the school bus system could literally put an end for the worries of the parents and headache of the authorities. The new solution even keeps related information of the child like name, contact details, and blood group. This helps in tackling emergency situations, arising unexpectedly at any point of time.

8 Benefits Parents Can Get Via School Bus Tracking

Safety of school children is a paramount to parents, not only when their kids are within the school premises but also while they are travelling back and forth to school or home via school buses.

Earlier, parents used to wait with bated breath till such time their wards reached the school or their doorstep. They were completely clueless of the location of bus or the time it will take for their wards to reach home.

With technology spreading its wings into every sphere of human life, this is the generation of school bus trackers which come as tracking aids.

These help parents in a number of ways in assuring their kids’ safety while onboard a school bus fitted with an AI-powered, GPS tracking system.

Here are some benefits parents can get via tracking their child’s school bus:

1. Travel Details Of Your Kid On Your Finger Tips

Information is wealth. This maxim is so true in the case of school bus tracking apps which are installed on the smartphones of parents whose kids travel via a school bus.

Through these school bus tracking aids, parents will be in a position to know the whereabouts of their kids. Any information concerning the school bus can be obtained by you as a parent at any point in time.

You will get updates on your phone’s screen that will provide all the travel details regarding your wards. You will get real-time alerts when your ward boarded or got off the school bus.

2. Keep A Check on the School Bus Speed Limit

Better to be safe than to be sorry. This is a befitting axiom that links the speed of the school bus to the safety of the children onboard.

Through the school bus tracking app, parents will be in a position to know the speed at which the school bus is travelling.

This can provide a sigh of relief to parents who can keep a watchful eye on whether the bus driver is meeting the specifications of speed limit of the school bus. School bus tracking apps can thus help in preventing accidents occurring on account of over-speeding.

3. Multiple Buses Can be Tracked

Given a scenario when your ward does not board the same bus every day, it is through school bus tracking that you as a parent can track multiple buses.

This feature comes as a boon to parents as they can put an end to anxiety about which bus their ward boarded.

4. Helps You Know the Exact Location of the School Bus

Parents who are connected to the school bus transportation system via their smartphones will be informed about the exact location of their wards.

They will get notifications about the location so that they can be prepared to either drop or pick up their wards from the bus point.

5. Notifications About Unexpected Inconveniences

It can be a natural hazard, the break-down of a school bus or a traffic jam that can inconvenience you and your ward.

With the school bus tracking app in your hands, a prior warning will flash on your smartphone, informing you about any hindrance that calls for your attention.

This way, you will be in a better position to make alternative arrangements or take any other corrective actions that deem fit.

6. Observations Regarding Your Child’s Pick-Up And Drop Timings

It is through the school bus tracking app that parents and school authorities can lay hands on the exact details linked to the time taken at every stop to either pick up or drop school kids.

In the event the bus halted for more than the prescribed time limit, you as parents will get notified regarding the delay.

7. Know Whether Your Kid Reached School or Your Home

The Radio Frequency Identification Tags provided by TrackSchoolBus come handy in providing the much-needed information regarding the exact location of your child.

It is through these exclusive school bus tracking apps that you will be informed about when your child reached home or school.

8. A Benefactor of Peace of Mind

Installing the school bus tracking apps provided by TrackSchoolBus will be an intelligent step towards enjoying peace of mind.

With real-time notifications popping up from the school bus tracking system on your smartphones, you will be in a favorable position to know the exact location of your kid.

Isn’t this a matter of convenience and peace to all the parents who can be rest assured about the safety of their wards while they are travelling via a school bus? Indeed! It is!

Key Takeaways

In addition to the above mentioned 8 benefits of school bus tracking apps, parents will able to keep a close watch over their kids’ academic performance.

The school bus tracking apps offered by TrackSchoolBus will help you download various academic reports including the attendance sheets of your wards.

This way, you can make the most of the technology options that are provided by these tracking apps to conveniently ensure the safety of your wards at all times.

How to Tackle Irresponsible School Bus Drivers

Schools are places where numerous kids come from different places and different cultures to learn. A lot of these kids use school buses as a mode of transport to travel to and from school.

It is important to have a safe environment for them to travel so that their parents feel at peace too. For this to take place the school bus must be handled by someone who is responsible and experienced. 

School bus drivers usually enjoy working with youngsters and are skilled and competent. But in certain cases, there are those who engage in unsafe means like driving recklessly, overtaking where it is unnecessary, skipping stop signs, using cell phone while driving and over speeding.

There are also instances where bus drivers lose their temper with kids who misbehave. Some others arrive late or forget to pick up a child. This makes them unreliable.

In this blog, we will discuss about how irresponsible school bus drivers can be tackled. The various steps that can be undertaken to tackle an irresponsible school bus driver are:

  • Call Up the School 

The first and foremost thing you can do is to call up and inform the school about an incident you want to report. Speak to the principal or the administrator regarding your issue.

After all, the driver is employed by the school, so it is your responsibility to let them know about their employee’s behaviour. Keep your calm and state the reason why you are having a complaint against the bus driver.

Give them details about where, when and what happened. You can give the physical description of the bus driver in case you couldn't catch his name.

  • Refrain from Losing Temper

Yes, it is the matter of the safety of children, but try to refrain from being angry and shouting and cursing the bus driver. Inappropriate language doesn’t solve the issue.

Your complaint will be taken more seriously if you stay calm and relate things with facts. Though the driver’s actions might have put your child’s safety at risk, it is important to deal with the issue in a professional manner so that your concerns will be heard and addressed.

  •  Ask the Solution 

Once you have communicated what your concern is, ask them how they can help to resolve the issue. Once you ask how the problem will be solved see if they volunteer the information.

You can expect that they will say that the school management will need to talk to the driver before taking any action. If so, ask them when you can call again to follow up the same. You can also ask for the name of the driver if you don’t know it yet.

  • Contact the Bus Company

In case the bus driver is an employee of the bus company you need to inform the representative regarding the irresponsibility of their driver.

They are the right people to address your problem regarding the infraction made by the driver. You can start by stating the route, the time at which your child was picked up or dropped off, name of the driver or the name of the school.

Give them all the required details so they can take appropriate action. You can enquire what they are going to do about the same.

  • Follow Up 

Once you have informed the school and the bus company, follow up with calls and letters regarding your issue with the driver’s behaviour.

Make sure that you clearly state all the facts pertaining to the incident. If a solution has not yet been suggested, propose one. For example, if the driver had forgotten to pick up your child from point, ask for an apology.

  • Involve Others

Talk to other parents with children in the same school bus. There are chances that they might have witnessed the same too. For instance, your child might tell you that his driver is texting while he is driving.

Other children in the same bus might have noticed this behaviour. In case the driver denies this statement you’re more likely to be believed if there are others who support your statement. Ask the bus company to check the footages if there is a camera in the bus.

  • Disciplinary Action 

It must be realized that the driver may not be dismissed immediately. He is entitled to due process as he is an employee of the bus company. Disciplinary action will be based on the seriousness of the infringement. He might be given a suspension or his pay may be docked.

To Wrap It Up

School bus management is a tender issue and must be handled only by experienced and mature people. Any kind of irresponsibility cannot be tolerated.

Even though schools and bus companies give bus drivers ample training, there are chances that they commit some kind of infringement. It might come to the notice of parents or students that drivers sometimes commit follies while they are driving the school bus.

But the lives of students are saddled in the hands of school bus drivers. So it is the full responsibility of the drivers to act responsibly.

How WiFi Can Make School Buses Rolling Classrooms

It is not an overstatement to quote that novel technological advancements are impacting every sphere of human life. One such innovation is smart school buses.

These buses which are connected to the internet via a school-enabled Wi-Fi connection have unveiled a new class of school transport.

Favoring the concept of ‘classrooms on wheels’, it is through these ‘rolling classrooms’ that students and others concerned will benefit a great deal.

Here we shed light on the benefits of Wi-Fi on school buses to all those concerned when these means of transport are connected to wireless internet.

1. The Productive Use of Travel Time

One of the evident benefits of smart school buses to students is that these technologically-driven buses will help them make the best use of their travel time.

You as a student do not have to reach home to surf the internet so as to collate information to complete a school assignment.

You can smartly make the most of the Wi-Fi connectivity that is available on your school buses to learn and collaborate with others while travelling to and fro to school, or on field trips.

2. Enhances Scope For Family Bonding

Smart buses bestow students with an option to study while they are heading to participate in any of the sporting events sponsored by schools.

This way, you can put your travel time to the best use when your laptops are connected to the internet even while on the go.

The concept of getting work done while on the move will give you an edge over others who need to start writing assignments just after reaching home.

Additionally, these smart buses will encourage you to spend time with your families since a major chunk of your educational time is either spent in schools or during travel.

3. Strengthening the Concept of Online Classes

The use of wireless internet on school buses will help students gain specialized access to a number of educational avenues connected to online education.

They will be in a favorable position to unleash the power of online tools that will foster education as a segment of futuristic learning.

In this manner, you as a student onboard a Wi-Fi bus will be able to apply modern learning technologies through the use of school internet networks that are offered by school districts.

4. Bus Drivers Will Benefit from A Well-Behaved and Cooperative Student Group

An idle mind is indeed a devil’s workshop. On the contrary, if you try to engage students while they are travelling, there will be less scope for bad behavior.

It is through Wi-Fi connected smart buses that bus drivers can better concentrate on the road when students onboard are busy completing their homework on their laptops or Chromebooks.

A substantial reduction in bus behavior problems comes as a sigh of relief to bus drivers; all thanks to the use of wireless internet on school buses.

Also, when all the students are engrossed in completing their assignments while they are commuting, school bus drivers need not have to expend time and effort in disciplining them.

5. Mobile Classrooms Promise the Best of Both the Worlds

You as a student of this modern generation can truly have the cake and eat it too. With the concept of mobile classrooms picking up in most of the school districts, school administrations are treading the path of maximizing the instructional time.

Given a scenario that you as a college or university student will have to spend close to 30 minutes to reach your destination, you can use this time effectively in pursuit of knowledge.

While in college, you can sign up for career advancement courses. It is through these dual enrolment programs that you can make the most of the novel concept of learning on the go. This is one of the striking benefits of Wi-Fi on school buses.

6. A Strict and Restricted Access to Educational Content

When you plug in a wireless internet on school buses, you as a school administrator should be mindful of the websites that your students browse while they are travelling.

It is for this reason that schools which come up with a restricted data management program can exercise better control over websites so that students can enjoy an exclusive access to educational content.

Smart buses which stick to a restricted URL web traffic can unleash the benefits of educational broadband internet plans that can be tailor-made for different schools and buses.

Rationing will hence depend on the consumption of data along with the number of smart buses that are required to meet the needs of students patronizing school buses.

7. Parents Are A Happy Lot

After enlisting a host of benefits of Wi-Fi on school buses with respect to students and bus drivers, it is the time when we have to focus on how the parents of students will get benefitted with such modern initiatives.

Parents of wards whose school buses offer wireless internet services are the satisfied ones as they don’t have to send their kids to tutorials.

They also need not have to worry about the hectic time schedule of their wards because their travel time takes care of their assignment submissions.

Through smart buses, parents can have a sigh of relief with a conviction that their wards are using their travel time to the best by learning and collaborating with other students.

Key Takeaways

The growing popularity of school bus Wi-Fi has not only paved the way for a modern class of students relying on Wi-Fi-enabled school buses but also brought about a holistic improvement of the educational system.

Bestowing a host of advantages to everyone, students in addition to drivers and parents are poised to tread the path of convenience, confidence and comfort coming from the implementation of ‘rolling classrooms’.

7 Different Ways GPS Tracking Can Be Used to Protect Kids

Global positioning system has changed a lot about how we perceive our world. It is being used by a significant number of population for various purposes. Other than using GPS for navigating there are also other uses for it.

GPS enabled devices are easier to find as the technology helps to locate the device using a internet connected cell phone. Thanks to GPS enabled devices you no longer need to worry about losing your valuables.

They can be tracked using a GPS device so that have to worry about losing things like car, mobile phone, etc.

There are countless benefits for using GPS technology. In this blog we will be discussing about the various functionalities GPS which can be used to protect kids.

1. Locating Positions

One of the most important features of GPS is that it can locate the position of a person. For instance a group of children are going for an excursion and one of them gets lost. GPS tracker will help you find one another.

If your child is an adventure enthusiast having a tracker of their own is great as it has many benefits.

If your child is not familiar with the place he is travelling, a GPS tracker will be of assistance and communicate his location all the time.

2. Geo-fencing

A virtual perimeter can be set so that you will receive a notification when you child crosses the perimeter. This is really helpful when they are going out without a guardian’s assistance.

Geofencing determines a boundary which when crossed by the child will send a notification to the parent’s smartphone. It helps parents to know whether child has breached a geo fence they have created.

3. Emergency Road Side Support

In case children has encountered with an accident, they can call pre-programmed emergency numbers on their phones to get help.

When they make a call, medics can easily trace their location and send them help. One of the notable features of GPS is that even if location is not given emergency crew can still be able to track your current location.

This comes handy when the person is not able to switch on the GPS facility.

4. Wrist Watches or Bands

There are GPS devices like watches or wrist bands that can be worn by kids when they go to school or somewhere else. These devices can be charged and used and will help to give the exact location of the kid when they are not at home.

Such wrist bands and watches are used predominantly by small kids who are not grown up enough to use smartphones.

5. Monitor Activities

A GPS tracker makes it easier to track the activities of the child when they are out of home. Parents can derive a lot of data from the location of their child.

The places they go, the people they meet, the time they spend at each place and such data will give a lot about the activities of their child. GPS makes it easier for the parents to monitor the activities of children when they go outside the house.

6. Locating the Child

There are instances when the child goes missing or lost. During these difficult times GPS can be of assistance to track the missing child.

Children can be lured by criminals by showing them toys or offering them candy. By embedding a GPS tracker in their wrist band or watch you can immediately track them and recover them from criminal hands.

7. Stay Connected

There are light weight devices which enable parents to get connected to their child throughout the day. These are ideal for kids who start a new routine like attending schools or going out without their parents accompanying them.

Let’s Wrap It Up

When it comes to children’s safety parents don’t compromise on anything. Latest technologies can be used to monitor the daily activities of the child and thus ensure that they are safe when they are outside home.

Using GPS is now common and by making use of this technology the safety of kids is ensured. There are chances that kids might encounter incidents that they can’t handle themselves and this is where the use of GPS technology comes handy.

Why Tracking App is Inevitable for a School Bus Attendant

School administrators operating school buses are always faced with two primary concerns. While one is about the safe, to and fro transportation of students from the school to their homes.

The other concerns the efficient management of their fleet of school buses. So, how do these administrators ensure the above concerns are addressed in the best possible manner and at all times?

They invest in what are called as tracking apps which not only resolve the above mentioned issues, but also improve the goodwill of the school that patronizes these apps.

Alongside offering convenience of monitoring the trips of students, these tracking apps serve as a leading light to school bus attendants. Here we shed light on the benefit of these apps to a school bus attendant.

An Overview of TrackSchoolBus and Its School Bus Tracking Apps

TrackSchoolBus, as the name suggests is a provider of technology-powered school bus tracking apps that come as convenient and safe means of transportation for students.

Additionally, these apps not only help school bus attendants to know of the real-time location of any particular school bus but also provide invaluable on-road information.

TrackSchoolBus presents 4 unique tracking apps which are:

1. Parent App

2. Bus Attendant App

3. Transport Manager App

4. Driver Console App

Here we shed light on the 3 important tracking apps that are meant for school bus drivers and attendants.

1. Bus Attendant App

True to its name, this state-of-the-art tracking app enables attendants to lay hands on the information concerning the next destination that the bus is heading towards.

Tagged as route planning app, it is through this app that bus attendants can take well-informed decisions through real-time notifications and announcements indicating a traffic jam or bad weather conditions.

This app helps bus attendants assign feasible pick-up and drop points. It is through this app that school bus attendants will be notified about every student in the bus and where he/she should be picked up and dropped.

Additionally, this app helps them make alternative arrangements for all those students who have missed their bus.

This app sends notifications to school bus attendants and administrators informing them about instances when a student gets dropped at an unlisted point.

The list of benefits of the bus attendant app does not end here. You can employ this app to enjoy a couple of advanced features, namely: re-center facility and manifest feature.

The re-center feature comes into play when there is a change in the pick-up point. Given the sudden relocation of any child, it is through the re-center feature that school bus attendants can get the details of the new pick-up point from where the student needs to be picked up.

The manifest feature shows up all the details concerning every student who boards the school bus.

Details like the pick-up points, a route map indicating the exact location for a pick-up and the entire list of students who are onboard will be displayed.

In the event a student is absent on a particular day, the manifest feature does not display his/her details on the stop list for that day.

2. Transport Manager App

TrackSchoolBus offers a tracking app called as the Transport Manager app which comes handy to all the school bus fleet managers. It is through this tracking app that transport managers can exercise a strong control over the entire fleet of school buses.

While allowing the managers to track each and every school bus that is plying on the road, this app ensures connectivity with other app users.

So, with this app in your hand, you as a transport manager can send voice instructions to bus attendants. Last but not the least, the transport manager app helps managers locate untracked vehicles.

3. Driver Console App

Recognized as an innovative offering of TrackSchoolBus, the Driver Console App is a trip-friendly app that provides a host of features to all the drivers at the wheel.

In addition to helping the driver to schedule pick-up and drop trips, this app gives out invaluable information like the speed of the school bus while also gathering the details of different school buses.

It is through this app that school bus drivers and bus attendants can lay hands on live camera feeds of the activities inside the bus along with managing pick-up points.

School bus attendants can make the most of the real-time notifications and alerts given out by this app to plan daily route trips.

The Promise of Real-Time Notifications Given Out By Tracking Apps

TrackSchoolBus, through all the above described apps helps all the stakeholders including students, parents, the school authorities and all those concerned to heave a sigh of relief with every school bus trip.

Providing top quality software that should be installed in superior quality tracking systems, TrackSchoolBus, the provider of school bus tracking apps delivers real-time notifications along with an auto optimization feature.

It is through this innovative feature that school bus attendants can get to know the exact pick-up point as is displayed on Google Maps.

With this information, school bus drivers can save a great deal of time when they can effortlessly optimize the student’s pick-up and drop points.

12 Things Every Parent Can Do to Stop Bullying in School

Bullying is a fundamental problem in most of the school. There are chances that kids are being bullied by their peers at school. There are instances where this goes unnoticed by the school and the parents.

This is a major problem that needs to be addressed so that the victims don’t suffer the aftermath of it throughout their lives.

The question is how exactly the parent can be notified about an instance of bullying and how they can stop it from happening.

Many schools have anti-bullying laws that are framed to curb the bullying that happens while at school or inside the school buses. More than 25 percent of the youth has reported that they have been bullied in some way or other.

Let us have a look at the things parents can do to protect their child from being bullied at school.

1) Communicate with the Child

It is important to communicate with the child regarding bullying. They might conceal the fact that they are being bullied by their peers at school.

Without open communication it is not possible to know whether your child is being bullied or not. This is because children might not tell an adult that he is experiencing bullying.

2) Peer Relationships

Children must be taught about peer relationship. They are going to share the same space with other children while they are at school.

Children can be asked about the kind of experience they are having with their peers.

Direct questions like ‘do you have friends at school’ or ‘how are the other kids at school’ will compel the kids to answer to your queries about how they are being treated by other kids at school.

3) Talk about Bullying

It is not just fine but necessary to talk to your kids about bullying. Tell them about the kind of bullies they might come across at school.

Narrate to them experiences that they might come across while dealing with bullies. Ask them to notify their teachers or tell parents if they come across anything such as that.

4) Cyber bullying

Bullying might not happen just at school. There are chances that your kid is being bullied online. The best way to find it is to closely monitor their online activities.

This doesn’t mean to spy on them but sit with them and take part in their online activities. If you find anything unusual you can ask them about it. In case they don’t reply you can still have a fair idea about their life with their peers.

5) Encourage empathy

Tell them the importance of how it feels like to be in the shoes of another person.

This is important to see to it that your own child is not taking part in any event of bullying. If your child report to you that one child is being bullied at school, tell them how the other person might be feeling.

This is also nurtures a sense of courage to stand up for the weaker ones.

6) Respond Well  

If your child tells you that he/she is being bullied at school or in school bus , respond well to it. Tell them that you are there to stand beside with them. Listen to them well and be supportive to them if they are a victim to bullying.

7) Keep a Good Rapport with the School

It is important to keep up a good rapport with the school authorities. Ask the teacher of your pupil how active he/she is at school and how well he is he getting along with other children.

If the bullying happens at school give all support to the school authorities to resolve the problem. Provide emotional support to the child and tell them they don’t deserve it and that you will be there to back them up.

8) Teach Your children to be Proactive

Let them deal with their issues themselves. Even though you would stand up for them it is important for them to learn to stand up for themselves.

Teach them how to practice this so that they can deal a situation themselves. Teach your child to be assertive but not offensive.

9) Express Concern 

Ensure that you express concern when dealing with an issue. There is a high probability that they will look up to their parents when they are facing an issue they can’t solve by themselves.

All they expect from you is a little concern so express it. It can bring about a great change in their confidence levels.

10) Make Your Kid Bold

Bullies usually target kids who are more vulnerable. If your kid is smart but vulnerable to bullying from other kids you have to help him/her to be more bold.

Let them practice this at home so that they can face the situation all by themselves.

11) Know your child rights

Children are sometimes picked for matters like colour, race, religion, disabilities, weight, age, sex, etc. Children have rights, know them.

If your child is receiving constant harassment or intimidation from their peers you may resort to things legally. The schools are bound to follow uniform standards of conduct. Therefore schools can’t turn a blind eye towards bullying.

12) Social Skills

Teach your child social skills that are necessary to mingle with social groups. Teach them how to make good friends so that they are not alone at school. Little role-plays can help them understand this.

This can teach them how to get along with a game that is played at school. Make sure that you encourage your kids to be part of groups and join clubs that they enjoy.

Which is the Best School Bus Tracking App for Parents

A child spends more than 15 years of his life in school, he gains knowledge, learns how to communicate, develop friendships and prepares himself to face the toughest of exams after school.

It is a place which is a center of excellence and learning and creates a meaningful impact on the life of a student. For all these reasons and several others, schools play a vital role in the life of students and their parents.

Therefore it becomes crucial for the school management to create an ecosystem where the child is offered a safe environment and chances of any unfortunate accident are minimal.

Why TrackSchoolBus is the Best App for School Bus Tracking

To ensure the safety of students when they leave their homes, bus tracking app has become a necessity. It is a boon for parents and the school authorities as well.

While the app enables school administration to offer safe and reliable transit of students from their homes to school, it provides complete peace of mind to parents.

There are many school bus tracking apps available, and although mostly same, they differ regarding features, ease of use and cost.

However, proper research and reviews of those who have already used proves beneficial to school administration when they search for the most suitable app for their school.

TrackSchoolBus is a bespoke app that is loaded with features and is easy to understand and use. It ensures complete safety of students while they commute between school and their homes.

The most significant benefit that it offers is it reduces parental anxiety and establishes their trust on school management.

The school management too finds it easy to keep track of bus routes, bus-time, driver’s performance and any deviation in the whole bus transportation system.

Features You Need to Know

TrackSchoolBus app is equipped with the following features which give it a unique place among all other apps available in the store.

For School Management:

•    User-friendly dashboard and app experience

•    A centralized software to manage all transportation processes of school

•    Can be integrated with any hardware, therefore, streamlining the entire school transportation

•    Download reports for analysis and improvements

•    Can be customized for individual specific use

•  Face-recognition, RFID cards or MIFARE RFID cards enables marking of school bus attendance

•    Features like Auto-routing, auto-allocation, and auto-optimization

For the Parents:

•    The user-friendly and straightforward App experience

•    Easy to download and track buses, their spots and time

•    History feature to bring into notice any delay or misconduct by the driver

•    SMS alert features to notify parents

•    Two-factor attendance

Here's a video that explains Two Factor Attendance in detail. 

Advantages:

For the school management:

•    Lesser dependence on the manual transportation system

•    Less paperwork as all reports can be generated through the app

•    Real-time GPS empowers student tracking anytime from anywhere

•    Instant notifications and alerts in case of emergency or delay

•    Cost effective yet a very reliable app for tracking buses

•    Lower fuel cost

•    Greater control over technology

•    All stakeholders including school bus transport manager, driver, parents, helper/attendant can get it customized as per their individual need

For the parents:

•    Receive instant notifications and alerts on their mobile

•    Complete control of their child since the time he leaves home

•    Better communication with the bus transport manager

Benefits You Will Gain

For the school management:

•    Streamline school bus routing and scheduling

•    Handle notorious students with ease

•    Offers efficient transportation services to parents and generate trust of parents

•    Keep drivers focused on the road, therefore, reducing chances of any unfortunate incidence

•    Provide valuable information on time through school bus tracker App

For the parents:

•    Enables additional safety of their children

•    Offers complete peace of mind and mental relaxation

•    More trust in school management

•    Monitor their child’s presence or absence in the bus

•    Monitor child’s behavior in the bus

•    Instant notification in case the bus is getting delayed

•    Monitor driver’s performance and speed with which he is driving

Final Thoughts

TrackSchoolBus app is, therefore, the best app for the parents and the school authorities. The best part is it makes parents happy and relaxed, and they do not consider it as an additional burden.

Instead, they regard it as a tool that empowers them to monitor their child’s safety when he travels between home and school. Similarly, it is not an additional expense for the school management too.

Instead, it helps them offer better services to the parents. It not only makes them temples of learning but also makes them a place where parents can send their child with complete trust.